What is alternative grading?
Alternative grading approaches seek to transform the way we evaluate and respond to student work, shifting the emphasis from traditional measures of performance to fostering learning and recognizing effort. These innovative methods aim to provide clear expectations while allowing students the space to make errors, acknowledging that mistakes are an integral component of the educational journey. There are many types of alternative grading, including ungrading, specs grading, and contract grading.
What is a learning community?
A Learning Community (LC) is a collaborative space where instructors, staff, and graduate students can come together to explore specific themes or issues related to teaching and learning. This collaboration allows participants to share insights, resources, and teaching strategies. Regular meetings provide opportunities for reflective practice, where participants share and provide peer feedback. Learning communities typically choose a theme or topic that serves as the anchor to readings and discussions.
What will we read?
THEME 1: “Grading for Growth” Learning Communities. These communities will read Grading for Growth (David Clark and Robert Talbert). You can choose to register for either learning community. The Grading for Growth learning communities are designed to support instructors in exploring mastery-based and standards-aligned grading practices that emphasize feedback, revision, and learning over time. Through collective reading, discussion, and reflection, participants will examine how grading structures shape student motivation and equity, and will identify concrete ways to redesign assessments, reassessment policies, and grade calculations to better reflect student learning.
THEME 2: “Ungrading” Learning Community. This community will read Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning (and What to Do Instead) edited by Susan D. Blum. The Ungrading learning community invites instructors to critically examine the role of grades themselves and explore pedagogical approaches that minimize, delay, or resist traditional grading practices. Through shared readings and dialogue, participants will reflect on power, trust, and student agency in assessment, and consider how feedback, self-evaluation, and reflective practices can support learning in contexts where grades are reduced, reimagined, or decentered.
When will we meet?
Grading for Growth FLC #1 Wednesdays @ 7:00-8:15pm Eastern Time on Jan 28, Feb 11, Feb 25, March 18, April 8, April 22, May 6
Grading for Growth FLC #2 Thursdays @ 2:00-3:15pm Eastern Time on Jan 29, Feb 12, Feb 26, March 19, April 9, April 23, May 7
Ungrading FLC – Tuesdays @ 12:00-1:15pm Eastern Time on Jan 27, Feb 10, Feb 24, March 17, April 7, April 21, May 5